t now, Mr. Bernard
Merefleet. Smart, I call it. What's your opinion?"

Merefleet started a little at the audacity of this speech. And again he
was looking at her. There was a funny little smile twitching the corners
of her mouth. Her beauty was irresistible. Even the iron barrier of his
churlish avoidance was severely shaken. She was hard to withstand, this
witch with her friendly eyes and frank speech, despite her jarring voice.

She nodded to him sociably as she met his grave look. "You aren't on a
pleasure-trip, I reckon," she observed.

"Pleasure!" said Merefleet, giving way with abrupt bitterness. "No.
There's not much pleasure in unearthing skeletons. That's what I'm
doing."

The beautiful eyes opposite opened wide. She was silent for a moment.
Then, "Think you're wise?" she enquired casually.

"No," said Merefleet roughly. "I'm a fool."

She nodded acquiescence. "That's so, I daresay," she said. "I was afraid
you were sick."

"So I am," he said. "Sick of life--sick of everything."

"I guess you want some medicine," she said seriously.

Merefleet laughed suddenly. "Something strong and deadly, eh?" he said.

She shook her head. "Tell me what you like best in the world!" she said.

Merefleet reflected.

"You must know," she insisted briskly. "Is it a woman?"

"Good heavens, no!" said Merefleet, with an emphasis not particularly
flattering to the sex.

"Well, then," she said, "p'r'aps it's the sea?"

"You may say so for the sake of argument," said Merefleet.

"I don't argue," she responded, with what he took for a touch of heat.
"If people disagree with me I just shunt."

"Excellent policy," said Merefleet, interested in spite of himself. He
fancied a faint shadow crossed her face. But she continued to speak with
barely a pause. "If you like the sea you'd better join Bert and me. We go
out every day. It's real fun."

"Exciting as well as dangerous," suggested Merefleet.

She nodded again. It was a habit of hers when roused to eagerness.
"You've hit it. It's just that," she said. "Will you come?"

Merefleet hesitated. He was still inclined to be surly. But the new
influence was not so easy to resist as he had imagined. The woman before
him attracted him strongly, despite the fact that he now knew her
loveliness to be but mortal; despite the constant jar of her shrill
voice.

"Who is Bert?" he enquired at length, reluctantly aware that in
temporising he signed away his freedom of action.

"